In these challenging times, strengthening relationships between school administrators and school librarians is both essential and mutually beneficial. Two leaders, an administrator and a school librarian, working collaboratively to achieve mutual goals within the learning community elevates teaching and learning for all learners.  The Transforming Leadership Together: An Interactive Summit, at the 2023 AASL National Conference for school administrators and their school librarians, sponsored by OverDrive Education and AASL, was built around the belief in the powerful leadership potential that flourishes as a result of the partnership between school administrators and school librarians. The second cohort of the AASL School Leader Collaborative (listed below) keynoted the Summit where challenges facing education today were discussed among the school administrators and school librarians in attendance. During a robust exchange, several topics were identified as especially critical: book challenges, school librarian roles and leadership, and information literacy. Participants then created action steps to address these challenges upon returning to school.

 Several school librarians shared how the process used at the Summit impacted their day-to-day approach to collaboratively resolving challenges in partnership with their school administrators.

Cherity Pennington, Director of Library and Media Services for Shawnee Public Schools (OK) described the process this way, “I already knew the value of the AASL National School Library Standards NSLS) prior to attending the Summit with my administrator. What I realized during the Summit’s process is that the NSLS is also a tool for problem solving alongside my administrator. Showing an administrator how valuable my profession’s standards are for our schools is the best advocacy that exists for school libraries.”

Another attendee, Lori Donovan,  Library Services Specialist for Chesterfield County Public Schools (VA), shared that, “One of the things that I did after the conference (Summit) was work with my Director with how we help parents navigate their roles in partnering with Library Services.”

How can you recreate this process to identify and work through challenges collaboratively in your learning community? We believe that opening a dialogue between a school administrator and school librarian is the first step in such a venture.  How does this look?

Of course, someone has to begin this process. It may be the school librarian asking to visit with the school administrator or the principal seeking advice on a particular topic that opens the discussion. It may be a serendipitous moment, a chance meeting that organically evolves into a wonderful collaborative opportunity. However that initial interaction occurs, be ready! 

Take some time to revisit the AASL National School Library Standards.  Focus on the Learner Framework specifically the Learner Pamphlet found at https://standards.aasl.org/framework/. Review the Learner Competencies and identify a couple of things you are already doing in your school library that illustrate specific competencies.  Next determine how these things relate to your administrator’s vision and the school’s goals and mission.

In your role as a school librarian, be prepared to give a succinct message about the AASL Standards and your five roles outlined in the Standards: leader, teacher, information specialist, instructional partner, and program administrator.  Explain that you would like to support the school’s vision, mission and goals throughout the learning landscape from your vantage point in the school library. One talking point here is that you, like your school administrator, have unique knowledge of all the learners, both students and educators, in your school. Plan to identify several ways that your work in the school library already dovetails with the vision of your school administrator and the mission and goals of the school.

Action items that prepare you for this conversation:

  • Revisit the AASL National School Library Standards.
  • Focus on the Learner Framework specifically the Learner Pamphlet found at https://standards.aasl.org/framework/.
  • Review the Learner Competencies and identify things you are already doing in your school library that illustrate specific competencies.
  • Next, determine how the Competencies you have identified relate to your administrator’s vision and the school’s goals and mission.

After this ground work is established, move on to a discussion of the challenges facing your school and your school library.

As you identify challenges, consider:

  • How can the two of you, as leaders, navigate these challenges?
  • Discuss ways to take advantage of encounters with parents and decision makers to advocate for teaching and learning that position the instruction and resources of the school library.
  • As you identify challenges, review the policies, procedures, and/or practices that are available in your schools/districts/state that support your work toward teaching and learning.
  • Determine how you, as a school librarian or as an administrator, help others understand your professional responsibility.

Based on your conversation, create a plan to proceed together by identifying:

  • What was your mutual take-away from your discussion(s)?
  • What further conversations are neeeded?
  • What policies/procedures/processes do you need to reiterate or develop as you move forward?
  • Keep in mind: How do we as professionals focus on children as we amplify teaching and learning?

The administrators from the second cohort of the AASL School Leader Collaborative speak passionately about the need for school administrators and school librarians to work together as learning partners to truly transform teaching and learning:  Administrators on Learning Partners.  Remember that collaboration is an ongoing process. Creating and nurturing strong relationships with administrators benefits everyone in your learning community.

2022-2024 AASL School Leader Collaborative
Brooks, Superintendent, Shelby County Schools, Alabama; nominated by Whitney Howton, School Librarian.

Shara Hammet, Preschool and Lower School Division Head, Academy of the Sacred Heart, New Orleans, Louisiana; nominated by Soline Holmes, School Librarian.

Lisamarie Kane, Principal, Osbourn Park High School, Prince William County, Virginia; nominated by Jennifer Cooper, School Librarian.

Joseph Meloche, Superintendent, Cherry Hill Public SchIools, New Jersey; nominated by Skye Silverstein, School Librarian. Currently in Rose Tree Media School District (PA)

Tim Salem, Principal, Scotts Ridge Middle School, Ridgefield, Connecticut; nominated by Janine Johnson, School Librarian.

Co-Chairs of AASL School Leader Collaborative
Kathy Carroll is the co-chair of the AASL School Leader Collaborative and a past President of AASL. She is a member of the ALA Executive Board and is the Library Director at Westwood High School in Columbia, SC.

Kathryn Roots Lewis is the co-chair of the AASL School Leader Collaborative and a past President of AASL. She is the co-author of Engage, part of the AASL Shared Foundations series.  Kathryn is the retired Director of Instructional Technology and School Libraries in Norman, OK.

AASL Staff
Sylvia Knight Norton, AASL Executive Director